Harry Potter And The Mistake Of Many
by rp1284916
Summary: What if Lily had given birth to twins? What if Harry's twin sister was given all the credit for defeating the Dark Lord? A different take on the wizarding world! Harmony! Heir of Founders and Merlin! Powerful Harry!
1. The Night It All Began

**Technically, this is a rewrite of my first story. You can find it on this account, but I advise you not to read it. This is mainly because I hate the plot holes and cracks in logic I am hoping to refill in this story. I will delete that story until I have caught up with this one to the main plot, but it is still there for now. It may be deleted by the time you're reading this.**

 **Anyway, this story will include aspects of Canon, but I may choose to change things around, so don't be surprised if I miss things out, change plot points etc.**

 **Please review because it helps me improve my work. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **Special mentions to my beta MoonGoddessMitsuki.**

 **Disclaimer: HP is not mine and never will be. I make nothing from this.**

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The Night It All Began

It was 4PM. July 30th 1980. Lily Potter looked down at her swollen tummy, pain firing through her every nerve. They're coming. They're coming. They're coming. That was all that was running through her head as she closed her eyes, praying that everything would be okay.

She looked to her left, needing to grab her husband's hand for support. But then she looked at his face and her hand fell back above her stomach before it could make contact.

James was in shock. There was no other word for it. It was strange, how he had slowly fallen into the state that he was in. At first, everything had been amazing. The pair had just graduated at the end of their 7th year and moved in to Godric's Hollow. They had the time of their lives; redecorating the place, and finally settling in.

Then there was that night. The night Lily loved to re-live because it was so perfect. James had taken her to the Lake District, and they stargazed while floating on an abandoned boat. She couldn't have been happier. James had acted so romantic; she was sure he was the most romantic man in the world. They talked and talked and talked about nothing in particular, but managed to make them sound like the most incredibly important matters. It had been great, and before she thought things couldn't get more wonderful, James had kneeled down and pulled a ring box from his pocket.

Soon, they were married and Lily was pregnant. The healers had told them it was a girl so the couple spent the next nine months preparing. They bought her toys and decorated her room, as according to plan.

Then the news came. A week before now. The healers had told them of another baby; a twin boy to be delivered with the girl. Lily didn't know what to think. They were having another child: that was fine. Great even. A girl and a boy. James didn't seem to be coping so well, but she thought that was normal. He asked the healers how it was possible. How could they not pick something like this up sooner? But they seemed as dumbfounded as he was, which really didn't help clear James' mind.

The first thing they did was go to Dumbledore, seeking an explanation. When they entered through the floo, James went on a tirade while Dumbledore just listened. He didn't seem shocked by the news, but he too couldn't come up with an explanation. James was fuming at this, but Lily didn't know why. She really didn't think another child was bad news, and Dumbledore tried to explain this too. He said he would research the subject, read some books on the matter, and in the meanwhile they should relax a little and prepare.

The week passed, with Lily going through a couple false labours, yet James' mood hadn't improved. In fact, something seemed wrong with him. It wasn't like anything she had ever seen; James felt so…dark. Not just because of his actions, but the darkness seemed to radiate off of him whenever he was around. It made Lily feel uncomfortable, and she felt bothered enough to talk to the other Marauders about it.

They had a group meeting where Lily voiced her concerns. Remus and Sirius both seemed to agree, stating that James had been extremely rash at work as well. They said he must be going through a strange phase. Nobody noticed Peter's cheeks tinge a little while they talked.

And now they were here, with Lily pushing as hard as possible for a successful delivery. James was still out of it, clearly not ready to meet his children. Some Gryffindor he was.

Lily screamed as she felt the first body squeeze out. She was ready to let her body fall, but knew she had to prepare for round two.

Meanwhile, James was staring at his first child. Rose. His beautiful baby girl. The midwife gently placed her in his arms, allowing him to cradle her for the first time. His smile stretched wider as he took in her appearance. She hardly had any hair on her head, but her scalp was tinted bright red, evidently from Lily. However, you could tell that she was James' girl. The same nose. The same lips. The same hazel eyes. She was perfect. "Hey Rose," he said, admiring their similarities.

Lily was ecstatic. It looked like James was back to his old self, the way he was playing with their daughter. But she had thought too soon. As soon as the midwife announced the second delivery to be due shortly. James put Rose back down and reverted to his blank, rigid self. Lily wanted to be worried, but the pain in her stomach had taken over again, and soon the screaming returned. She kept pushing until she felt the second body leave her and passed out shortly after. It was all over.

James looked at his second child. Harry. There was no denying it, the boy was almost scarily attractive. He had a head full of black messy hair, similar to James'. His face was shaped like Lily's, but included aspects of his father. And then there were those eyes. Lily's eyes. James should have felt a connection with the boy in front of him as well. But no matter how much James wanted to love him, an unfounded hate slowly took over. He tried to fight it, but no. For some reason, something in him was forcing him to hate the boy. And James couldn't put up a fight any more. The boy's fate had been decided.

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October 31st, 1981. The night it all began. It was 11:00 PM. Godric's Hollow was quiet except for the occasional snore from James Potter. However, Lily was not asleep. She was thinking; so much had changed in her last year and she didn't know what to do. James' mood swing had turned out to be something far, far worse. It wasn't like Rose was just his favourite child; James seemed to absolutely despise Harry. He was always harsh towards him, never liked to spend money on him, yet he would treat Rose as if she was a princess. If she tried to question him about it, all she would get was a snap in response.

Dumbledore seemed to have noticed James' dislike towards Harry too, but was still resilient on labelling it hate. He still believed such a good man could not hate one of his children. But Lily wasn't sure if James was a good man anymore. He was so different to the James she had grown up with at Hogwarts, and she had spent enough time around him to realise his hatred of his own son. It angered her, but she still couldn't find a way to fix the problem. She would just have to look out for Harry as much as possible, and love him with everything she had.

Thud.

Lily jumped out of bed. Someone had broken in. "James!" she whispered, shaking his body. "Get up!"

He stirred before hissing, "What are you doing?"

"Someone's in the house. Get up quickly, this isn't a joke."

James sat up and stretched, realising that she was serious. He reached for his glasses and his wand before rolling out of the duvet and grabbing the door handle. He turned around and said, "Go to the nursery."

Lily nodded, but James was already on his way down. She quickly followed, and managed to catch a glimpse of him disappear into the living room. Silently, Lily tiptoed towards the kids' room. As she opened the door, she heard a cold, soulless voice sneer from downstairs, "James Potter. Be a smart man and move aside."

There was no guessing who it was.

"You still haven't moved. Let me put it in simpler terms: stand aside fool."

"No." James replied, trying to replicate Voldemort's icy tone. "I won't let you harm Rose." In response came a laugh.

"This will be fun," the cold voice chortled, sounding a little mad.

Lily silently prayed James would be able to hold him off. She walked over to the cot and found the two babies resting. Rose had a wave of red hair that reached shoulder length and James' square-like face. Harry's beauty hadn't diminished since his birth, with his hair long and untamed. She smiled at her sleeping children, then starting setting protection over the both of them. Voldemort would never expect magic as ancient as this.

"Avada Kedavra." Lily froze. Was James… dead? Her fears were put aside when she heard him attack again with "Reducto." Their duel was becoming louder and louder. It would only be a matter of time until-

The door slammed upon. It was James who came in first, covered in blood, with Voldemort following shortly. They were still locked in an intense duel, but it was evident who was winning.

"A leading Auror? You? The Ministry must be out of their minds."

James looked over to Lily, who had her back turned to them as she cast protections over the kids. With the way things were going, the outcome was bound to be ugly. James would have to try something drastic if they were to make it out alive.

"Stupefy," James cast, angling his wand in Lily's direction. She dropped to the ground, her head grazing the edge of the cot on her fall. The two babies were now awake and crying, interrupting the tense quiet.

"Silencio," Voldemort cast towards the cot, before turning back to James. "So what do we have here?" he sneered. "James Potter, decided to go dark."

"Never." He had done it because he knew Lily would not like what he was about to propose.

"Please, just let my family run away. We'll go to America and live as muggles if we have to, and I promise you'll never see us again."

Voldemort laughed. "You think I would allow that? You are more foolish than I believed, Potter."

"I'll make an Unbreakable Vow," James countered, his voice cracking slightly.

This peaked Voldemort's interest. "You would?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Y- Yes."

The dark wizard took a couple steps closer, until he and James were breathing into each other's face. He leaned down to James ear and whispered, "I still don't think that's enough."

James shivered at the coldness of the message as Voldemort leaned back and looked at him madly. "I don't know what I can do." James said desperately.

"Think, boy. You don't have much time left." The Dark Lord seemed to be watching in amusement as James tried to come up with a solution.

About 10 seconds passed before Voldemort said, "Time's up Potter. Prepare to die-"

"-Wait!" James interrupted. "I know what I can do."

"You do now? Speak fast."

"You can- you can kill the boy, if it would convince you I talk honestly."

Voldemort's eyes lit up with glee. "A sacrifice? I can mark the boy as the 'Chosen One' and kill him straight after. How very noble of you, Potter."

James cringed slightly, just begging the wizard would agree to the terms.

"Your cowardice amuses me, I must say. To believe you were a Gryffindor…very well. You genuinely seem afraid of me, so I'll let you live. It looks like the rat followed through with it after all. Who said I can't show mercy? I would wish you luck, Potter, but that would be far too kind of me."

Voldemort turned to the cot. He could feel the power radiating from it, and was glad he could deal with the threat before it could manifest. He looked at the girl. Pathetic. She could be thrown with the squibs for all he cared. But the boy; he was special. This was the source of the power. He was a beauty, and it was a shame seeing such potential poured down the drain before he had a chance to pick which side he was on. Voldemort was sure he would have been a worthy successor to his throne if he had decided to join him.

He raised his wand at the boy. "Avada Kedavra." The green light shot towards the boy, but bounced off his forehead, leaving just a mark. What on earth…The cot started to shake, then the room, then the entire house. A piece of wood fell from the roof, slicing Rose's cheek in the process. An orange energy engulfed the Dark Lord's curse as of it were a tickling hex.

Voldemort swore for being so stupid.

This was old magic. So old that is would be considered ancient. For the first time since his childhood, Tom Marvolo Riddle felt the emotion of fear.

James let out a strangled cry as he collapsed under part of the ceiling. Pathetic. It was not death. As long as the Horcruxes were intact, it was never death. It was simply an absence. But one that was much unneeded. It wasn't as if he hadn't experienced a setback before; it was just that he had been so close to achieving what he had worked so long for. Now he would have to find a way of tackling this new problem. Damn it! Everything was ruined now!

As the magic surrounded him Voldemort closed his eyes, preparing for the change in plans. A few moments later, the Dark Lord was gone, not a single sound could be heard in the once grand Godric's Hollow.

It was about an hour later when James awoke, a stabbing pain in his ribs. Then he remembered what happened. Quickly, he pushed a pile of glass and rubble off his midsection and located Lily.

"Rennervate," he whispered, his mind focused on one thing. Had Voldemort kept to his part of the deal? Was Harry dead? More importantly, was Rose alive?

Lily abruptly stood up, wiping herself clean. "What happened?" she asked.

"Voldemort stunned you when you weren't looking."

She touched the cut on her head. Fortunately, it didn't seem too severe. "And the kids?"

"I don't know. Voldemort managed to beat me not long after he stunned you."

"Well let's go check then." Lily marched towards the cot, relieved to see her two babies wriggling around. She canceled the silencing spell and let a couple of tears fall. "They're alive," she sobbed.

James' heart dropped. "Both of them?"

"Yes, both of them, but Rose is covered in blood," Lily said, her tone clearly upset.

"So she's the child of the prophecy," James asked, not needing an answer.

"Yes, I think," came her reply.

"And Voldemort?"

"I-I'm pretty sure he's…dead," she said, not sounding sure at all.

"But how?" he asked, startled by this information.

"I've been doing some research into old magic lately, and I found a protection spell to cast around the cot. I was ready to sacrifice my life for them, and the magic was pure love. It basically meant that if Voldemort tried to touch them, he would be banished from existence."

"So it's over?" James asked hopefully.

"Yes, I think it is."

Lily didn't know how she felt, however, James was buzzing. This meant that Rose would finally get the attention she deserved. It was always Harry that caught people's eye because of his beauty. They overlooked his darling angel. But now, people would finally praise Rose, the Saviour of Wizarding Britain.

"James," Lily said, drawing him away from his thoughts.

"What?"

"We should go tell Albus. He'll know the best approach to the end of this goddamned war. Enough lives have been lost already."

"Yeah, right. Let's take the kids and floo to Hogwarts now."

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Albus Dumbledore was enjoying a lemon drop while thinking about a man by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle. This man was a former student of his, and a good one too. Extraordinary, some would say. A true Slytherin. And for someone as cunning and insightful as he was, Tom could have gone down two different routes. To put them simply, he had a choice between the Light and the Dark. Unfortunately, the young man chose the route that had gotten every dark wizard before him locked up or killed.

But Dumbledore was not going to lie to himself; things were looking bad for the Light. He would have to end this war quickly, for the good of wizardkind and mankind alike.

It was while he was lost in thought that James and Lily Potter burst through the fireplace, carrying their children.

"Albus," Lily began. "He chose Rose. She is the child of the prophecy."

Albus sighed. "Very well. We have to prepare."

"There's no need. The man is dead," James said, interrupting the Headmaster's plans.

"I used the enchantment I showed you," Lily explained.

"This is good," Albus said. "But we still have to prepare."

"Why?"

"I fear that Tom is not dead."

"But that's impossible!" Lily objected. "There's no way he could have survived that spell! It was perfect!"

"I have no doubt that your enchantment was successful, Lily, however. I do believe that Tom has found a way to make himself immortal."

"But that's impossible too!" Lily exclaimed.

"There are…dark methods I believe Tom may have practised. I do not know the exact details, but I am sure he found a way. He will return, and Rose will have to be the one to stop him. I ask you to trust me on this," Albus replied gravely.

"What should we do?" James asked. He was scared for Rose, but they had time to prepare.

"Firstly, I believe it would be best to remove Harry from your care. He should grow up somewhere where he will not resent Rose for her fame."

"How about the Dursleys?" James suggested.

"No," Lily growled. "We are not sending him away from us. How dare you even suggest that?"

"But it would be best for both of them-"

"-No it wouldn't! He is staying with me and that's final, no arguments."

James still didn't agree. He didn't want that little idiot anywhere near his princess.

"Fine," Albus relented. "However, something that must be dealt with is Rose's training. I believe I should prepare her for the inevitably tough future ahead."

"Yes, I agree with that," replied Lily.

"Great. How should we handle the press, though?" James inquired.

"Obviously, we should tell them Rose is the reason for Tom's defeat. We should, however, keep quiet about the prophecy. She will already have more fame than she could imagine. If the public knew of this extra information, I am worried expectations toward her could be exponentially high. No child should grow up with a burden like that. Another matter would be her safety. There are still many unknown Death Eaters, and any one of them could come for Rose if they knew she could defeat their Lord," explained Albus.

Throughout this, James allowed the information to sink in. It made sense. Yes. He decided Albus' plan was for the best.

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It was the next day, as Sirius Black sat in the living room of Grimmauld Place with Remus and the Potters.

Remus handed him a copy of the Prophet. "You should read this," he said.

Sirius looked at the front page:

 _ **You-Know-Who Vanished! Rose Potter Is The Girl-Who-Lived!**_

 _Yes! That's right! You read the title correctly! Confirmed by an official statement from the Ministry of Magic, the war was ended last night at Godric's Hollow, home of the Potters._

 _This is what the Minister had to say on the matter:_

 _'Yes. I am very happy to announce the end of this war which has raged for-'_

Sirius just skipped the Minister's chunky paragraph.

 _James Fleamont Potter, leading Auror and Lord of the House of Potter, also released a statement._

 _'We are very proud of what Rose has accomplished', he said. 'We always knew she would grow to become a powerful witch, but what she showed this night far exceeded our expectations. I truly believe she is something special'._

 _I find it hard not to believe Lord Potter's words. Rose looks to have an incredibly bright future ahead of her, which I am sure the Wizarding World will be following every step of the way._

 _It is also known that Rose received a scar on her cheek in consequence of the battle. This scar I am sure will become vital to her identity, and maybe even iconic._

 _Lily Potter, the Lady of House Potter, confirmed that Godric's Hollow was under the Fidelius Charm, as many others have opted for maximum security. However, this means that the only route You-Know-Who could have chosen to breach the charm would have been through the Secret Keeper. The criminal in question is Peter Pettigrew, a childhood friend of the Potters. He is a chubby man with-_

Sirius skipped the rest of the text and stared at the photo at the bottom. It was a photo of Peter, the man meant to be one of his closest friends. Someone he thought he could depend on, no matter what. Someone he thought he could trust his life with. It was something the Marauders stood for.

And now it was like all those years together were poured down the drain.

He slammed the paper against the desk, causing Harry to wake up from his slumber and cry. Lily looked at Sirius menacingly, and he gave an apologetic look in return.

Sirius sighed and looked up at the ceiling, feeling an urge to pull his hair out. He wished they were in Black Manor. The place was just so much nicer than the damp, cellar-like home he currently lived in. But because it hadn't been put under the protection of the Fidelius, Voldemort thought it would be the ideal place to set up a Death Eater camp.

"Are you ok?" Remus asked, looking at his best friend with concern.

"Yeah. It's just so… infuriating. That rat, I thought he was one of my closest friends."

"So did we. I'm just glad we all made it out alive."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "I don't know what I would have done if someone had died last night."

"So, what next?"

"To be honest, with everything that's going on in our lives, I think it would be nice to just settle down."

"I know what you mean," Remus sympathised. He looked around the room and the life that was inside it. "It would be nice to rebuild and just… enjoy life."

Remus then eyed James, the man who had changed for the worse so much over the past year. "But I don't know if my pack can hold it together," he muttered to himself.

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 **First chapter down. Everything to do with James will be explained so please don't complain that it doesn't make sense, just wait.**

 **Next chapter, there will be a time skip, and there will be a couple more until we reach Hogwarts.**


	2. 5 Years Later

**5 years later…**

It was July 30th, 1986. A party was being held in Potter Manor to celebrate the birthdays of Rose, and Harry Potter.

Lily was combing Rose's hair, but her eyes were on Harry, her son. Despite the circumstances, he had grown to be the happiest, most carefree child in the world. He was funny, talented, charismatic, a little cocky…In all truth, Lily was reminded of James while they were First Years at Hogwarts. It was sad that James had changed so much since then.

Harry and Remus were to be waiters at the party tonight, and both had dressed for the occasion. They wore matching uniforms: clean white shirts; black vests with corresponding trousers; shiny leather shoes and ruby-coloured ties.

Remus looked very smart in his uniform, while Harry was just adorable. Lily hadn't missed how much everyone at the party loved Harry too. It was like they had all forgotten it was Rose that had vanquished Voldemort, not him. Lily was just so proud that her baby boy hadn't been affected by James' violence or Rose's fame.

Sirius walked over to Lily from the Longbottoms, who seemed to be having a great time. Alice and Frank were merrily chatting to Augusta, and it looked as though Neville had gone running over to play with Harry. The two of them were inseparable

"It looks like James is going to start his speech," Sirius said, sitting in the empty chair beside Lily.

She just sighed. She hated having to sit through these.

James cast a Sonorus Charm and cleared his throat, the sound echoing through the hall. Everyone in the hall turned to look at him.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming here tonight," he began. "Every year, I invite my closest friends, and most powerful allies to celebrate the birthday of my beautiful girl, Rose."

It didn't go unnoticed by Lily that several people turned to look at Harry, who hadn't even been mentioned.

"To you, she may be a hero, but to me, she is simply an angel. A gift from the heavens to our side, the Light. It is because of her we can send our children to Hogwarts, without a worry for their safety. It is because of her we no longer have to fight a battle that looked unwinnable. It is because of her we stand in this room together, the fears of war long forgotten.

And now we can relish the emotion of happiness, and leave the horrors of the past behind us. I know my speeches are usually far lengthier, but I still thank you all for listening so kindly," James finished.

Everyone in the room applauded, but just like every year, they all knew Harry deserved some attention as well.

"Now for the real reason I'm up here. Rose, would you come up and open my gift for you? I promise it's the most special I've ever given you."

Rose leapt off of Lily's lap and stumbled her way to James. You could tell she was excited.

"Albus, if you'd please join us," James asked. The Headmaster, who was standing with the Minister, made his way to the front. By his side was a goblin, dressed in a smart-looking suit, and holding some pieces of parchment.

"A drop of her blood please." the goblin asked.

Albus leaned down a little to talk to her. "Now Rose, this will hurt a little, but it will stop right afterwards, okay?"

Rose nodded, fear in her eyes. Slowly, she held out her thumb, and the goblin pricked it, collecting her blood in the process. Rose winced, but before she could cry out in pain, Albus fixed it up, leaving it as good as new.

"See, that was okay, wasn't it?"

The goblin began to speak. "I, Ragnok Farrast Bogkor, CEO of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, name you, Rose Euphemia Potter, heiress of the Potter line."

Many eyes widened in shock, including Lily's. That was Harry's title. Yes, Rose was the eldest, but it was a traditional decree that if more than one child of different genders were born in the same 24 hour day, the priority of titles should automatically be given to the eldest male, before the eldest female. Yes, it was sexist, and something Lily definitely didn't believe in, but Harry had grown up with the idea of being a Lord. It was the only thing he had over Rose, and he had been robbed of that too.

She looked over to him, but he didn't seem to upset. There was a small frown on his face though...

He caught her looking at him, and the frown was replaced by a large grin. She would have thought it was forced, but it seemed quite genuine. Merlin, did she have the best son in the world?

Albus dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring box. "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, present to you, Rose Euphemia Potter, a Ring of Heirs."

He opened it, and inside was a silver ring, patterned in black, and carved by the hands of the finest goblin blacksmiths.

There was a large, hollow orb set into the ring. All you could see was an emptiness that pulled you in further, and further until there was no point of coming back. Many became lost in the orb until it was taken away or filled.

Albus, not wanting those watching to become entranced, nudged James to speed things up.

"Oh, right. I, James Fleamont Potter, Lord of House Potter, grant you, Rose Euphemia Potter, the title of Heiress of the House of Potter."

Albus held the ring up in front of Rose, but she was transfixed by the emptiness of the stone set into it. Sighing, Albus slipped it on for her, and the orb was suddenly filled going from an empty void to a wealthy gem a mixture of gold, and ruby. In the middle was a large black coat of arms, it included two shields, a sword, along with a silhouette of an eagle perched on top. It was the emblem of House Potter.

Everyone suddenly felt the heaviness of being sucked into the vacuum lifted, but they didn't take their eyes off the ring. That was the first time a Ceremony of Heirship had been held to an audience in centuries.

Albus started to clap, and soon the rest of the room followed. The round of applause felt monumental as the sound rang through the entire building. The history books would have to be updated.

The rest of the party was boring and was just a pass of time. Lily had still not left the chair she had been sitting on the whole time. She just stared at James as he carried Rose around in his arms, showing her off to the crowd like she was a piece of jewellery. It was just sickening. The mad glint in his eye every time he found a new person to showcase their daughter to. The way that he would glance over to Harry every now and again, hoping he was watching with jealousy. The fact that his good heart had been corrupted by his hate for his own son. How ridiculous? How could someone hate their own son? Someone like James? She just didn't understand.

"Mum! Do you want something to eat? There's plenty for everyone!"

Lily looked away from James to see Harry, accompanied by Sirius and Remus.

"What was that honey?" Lily asked, leaning in so she was almost touching noses with her son, the gloom of her night nearly wiping away completely.

"Look! I brought you some pudding if you're hungry!" Harry said, offering the dessert to his mother.

"Of course I'm hungry sweetie," Lily said, taking the pudding from his little hands. She smiled and ruffled his hair, which caused him to giggle.

"How's Neville?" Lily asked her son's escorts.

"He's fine…mostly," Sirius said, sharing a sheepish look with Remus.

"What did you do?"

"Well, we may have given him a sweet that wasn't really… Have you ever heard of Violet Beauregarde?" Remus asked.

Lily nodded her head, then realization struck her. She looked over to where the Longbottoms were seated, only to find Neville a deep shade of violet and slowly inflating. "Why on earth would you do that?" Lily exclaimed, unable to take her eyes off the poor boy.

"He wasn't meant to inflate. That was just a side effect," Sirius explained.

"I think it's funny," Harry giggled.

"Well, of course you would. You seem to think everything's funny," Lily told the boy. "And one of you two should help Alice and Frank get the poor sod back to normal."

"I'll go," Remus sighed. He turned around and hurried off to the place that was quickly becoming the party's centre of attention.

"Padfoot," Harry called.

"Yes, pup?"

"Well, I was wondering when I'm gonna get my present? You promised it would be better than anything Rose got."

Lily looked up at Sirius, who had a grin on his face. So that was why Harry wasn't too upset at losing his Heirship.

"I'll tell you what. If you head up to your room now and get out of that uniform you have on, I'll come up and give it to you."

"Okay, I'll go!" Harry exclaimed, sprinting on the spot to the other side of the room. On his way, he yelled, "I'm gonna get my present now!"

Everyone watched him fondly, turning away from James and Rose, who were showing off the new Heiress' ring for about the 100th time.

"Dammit! That brat's done it again!" James growled, putting Rose down on an empty seat.

"What are you doing Daddy?" Rose asked, looking up at her father innocently.

"I'm going to teach that kid a lesson!" James stormed off to the other side of the room, unnoticed by everyone whose eyes were now on Neville as he seemed to deflate, but still remain violet. The party simply continued.

Harry had finally made it to his room and flopped onto his bed, completely out of breath. After a couple quick gasps, he jumped back up again and opened his wardrobe, trying to find something decent to wear.

It was whilst he was rummaging that James barged in, fury on his face.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" he yelled, causing Harry to squeal. James looked over to where the noise had come from and lifted his son up by his collar.

"THERE YOU ARE YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

"Daddy?" Harry whispered, knowing this wasn't good.

"YOU'VE JUST GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN, HAVEN'T YOU!"

"But- Done what?"

"YOU- YOU JUST-" James took a deep breath. "You just have to keep being so annoying! Nobody should care about you! It wasn't you who defeated Voldemort, it was Rose! She's the one with the scar, not you! She's the one believed to have a potential greater than Merlin's, not you! So how, just how do you get them to look at you with that look in their eyes? That loving, no that adoring look! How do you do it?"

Harry just stared at James fearfully.

"Tell me then! TELL ME!"

Harry opened his mouth, just about able to produce sound out of it. "Please don't hurt me."

James slammed Harry against the wall, causing him to yell out in pain. "That was the wrong answer son," James said menacingly. He pulled his fist back, preparing for a shot.

"NOOOO!" Harry yelled as he attempted to shield himself with his arms. But he was too late. His fist crashed into Harry's jaw, cracking his head against the wall. The boy fell into a slump, out cold.

"Oh, this is gonna be good," James growled. He dropped Harry to the floor and began to pummel the boy with his feet. Kick, after kick, after kick, after kick…It was nonstop.

Blood was pouring out of Harry's nose. His lip was busted, and a couple ribs had snapped. His breathing was shallow and his body bruised all over, but James didn't stop. The hate inside of him wouldn't let him stop. He had to keep going. He had to keep kicking until that boy couldn't breathe any more.

But James didn't get what he wanted.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" James spun around to find Sirius and Remus, both dressed in formal attire, with murderous looks on their faces.

Before James could respond, Sirius closed in, swinging a punch straight into the side of his face. He fell to the floor, unmoving.

Remus rushed over to Harry, immediately checking his pulse. At the confirmation that he was alive, Remus started checking what sort of condition his body was in.

"He's alive, but his breathing is shallow, and I think a couple ribs are broken." He looked up to his friend. "What do we do, Sirius?"

"We can't stay here, that's for sure." Sirius eyed James viciously. "Not with this bastard around."

"So where do we go?"

"I don't know. Leaving Lily on her own just feels like a bad idea."

Remus shook his head. "You're wrong. The cubs come first. We need to take Harry, for his safety, and Lily needs to stay so Rose can be raised with some sort of decency inside her. We have to leave now."

Sirius sighed. "Leaving, I guess it's not like it hasn't been in the cards. All right. Let's do it."

"Good. Let's just go now."

Remus stood up, Harry in his arms. Sirius placed a firm hand on Remus' shoulder and turned on the spot, disappearing into nothing.

It looked like Harry would have to wait for his present.

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	3. Rush Of Power

**People have so many concerns about James. *smh* I've already told people not to stress about it, so let me remind you again: please do not stress about James. He is a large part of this plot so be patient.**

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 **Rush of Power**

Harry Potter looked at his reflection with a grin, admiring himself. He did up the last button on his favourite set of robes, which were emerald with a smooth black lining.

He picked up his ring from on top of his set of drawers and slid it on. The gem was a deep black, a white skull was at its centre point with a crow on top. It was the emblem of House Black.

5 years had passed since Harry had fled his home with Sirius and Remus. And what a glorious 5 years they had been. The trio had done everything they could possibly imagine, from climbing Mount Everest to ice skating on the South Pole. It had been incredible to experience the different communities all over the world of wizards, and muggles alike.

The only regret Harry did have was leaving his mother behind. He understood why, and it was selfish to want her all to himself. But Harry just couldn't shake the thought out of his head.

It didn't matter though. Harry was heading back to England for a day, and he hoped that he would be able to see her again. That would be the perfect birthday present.

"Hey Harry," Moony called from downstairs.

"Just finishing up," Harry answered. He quickly ran a hand through his hair to mess it up even further before making his way down. He walked into the living room where Remus was sprawled out over the couch, looking absolutely exhausted.

"Well, you're a mess," Harry commented.

"Of course I am! I had to set the portkey up in this crazy heat all by myself!"

"What was Padfoot doing then?" Harry chuckled.

"Apparently he was close to dying of dehydration so went to have a drink, which he decided to do under the bloody sun! And for 3 hours at that!" Remus yelled.

"Ah, that's not good is it," Harry said, shaking his head.

"No, it isn't!"

"Oh well. We'll be in England soon so I'm sure it'll be nice and rainy."

"It better be." Remus sat up and wiped his sticky face with a cloth. "You might as well go and tell that idiot to get ready. I'll be there in a sec."

Harry nodded before turning around and sprinting out the door, but he immediately stopped as he felt the vicious rays of sunlight dig into his entire body.

"Oh wow. He wasn't lying," Harry muttered as a drop of sweat dripped from his forehead down his nose. "Now where is Padfoot?"

He scanned the area, using his hands as a visor. The small, cosy home they lived in was on a remote island, mostly made up of beaches and exotic trees. Harry enjoyed the tranquillity of the place.

"There he is." Harry spotted Sirius who was watching the ocean, one hand digging into the sand, the other clutching the glass of pineapple juice he was sipping on.

He ran over and called, "Hey Padfoot, get up!"

Sirius looked over and whined, "But I only just sat down."

"Shut up, Moony told me you've been there for three hours."

"Fine, I'll get changed then," Sirius said, standing up. "Ooh, I got pins and needles now. I guess I did sit down for three hours without moving."

"Come on, you slow dog," Harry said running back to the house.

"Hey, it's bloody boiling, and what did I say about calling me a dog?" Sirius shouted back.

Remus, meanwhile, was putting the finishing touches on the portkey. He stepped away from a stripped coconut, having cast the final enchantments.

"Is it finished?" Harry panted, having made it to Remus.

"Yep, all done." He paused, taking in Harry's state. "You're more disgusting than me now. Did you run all this way?"

"Yeah. I wanted to make Sirius feel old. No offence, by the way."

"Not too much taken."

"Hey, give me some time to get changed," Sirius said, having finally made it over.

"You have a minute," Remus replied.

Sirius' eyes widened, then he ran into the house. "Oh shi-"

Both Harry and Remus burst into laughter.

"Is there really a minute left?" Harry chuckled.

"No, it's not even time-activated."

"That's even better," Harry laughed, collapsing onto the sand.

"Careful, you'll get those robes dirty," Remus said, offering Harry his hand.

Harry took it and pulled himself up, still chuckling slightly. He brushed the sand off of his expensive clothing. They had got their outfits tailor-made while in Milan, and it had cost a ton. But it was worth it. Remus was wearing all grey, which he had asked for to suit the wolf inside him.

"I'm done," Sirius said, bolting over to them. He was wearing a sleek black set of robes, wanting to represent his house.

"Good," said Remus. "I think we're ready to go." He turned to Harry. "I know this is your first time, so pretend you're riding the portkey like a broom. It should help you land on your feet. Sirius, well I've tried giving you advice a million times. Just try not to get the robes too dirty. They're expensive."

"Hey, I know how to ride a broom too, you know," Sirius protested. "I might try that. I'll just be one with the wind."

Remus just smiled. "We'll see," he said.

"Are we gonna go now or what?" Harry asked, starting to get impatient.

Remus nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Everybody stand around the coconut."

They all did as told.

"Okay, now on the count of three, we'll all touch it. One, two, three, now!"

Everybody placed a hand on the shell and it started to shake. The coconut floated up, taking the three with it. A huge, tornado-like wind surrounded them, enveloping them from their surroundings. The portkey disappeared and the winds became harsher.

Harry looked over to see Remus completely calm, pedalling his feet as if he were on a bicycle. He looked back ahead of him, picturing he was riding a broom. As the winds pushed into his backside, instead of toppling forwards like a normal person would, he used them to propel himself so he moved cleanly.

Soon, the winds started to calm down and Harry could start to see their surroundings. He steadily lowered to the ground and landed on his feet, a bit tired.

To his left, Sirius came flying down, just slowing slightly before landing on his back. "Ow!" he yelled. Remus landed beside him, helping him back up.

"What happened to being one with the wind?" Harry laughed. Sirius just shook his head.

Harry stifled his giggles and looked around carefully; it was the first time he had been in England since he was six. The first time since that painful night. The night he still had scars from, both mentally and physically.

"You ok?" Remus asked, looking at Harry with concern.

"Yeah," Harry said, forcing a smile on his face. "Just wondering where we are?"

They were in a car park, with no cars in it. In fact, not a single person could be seen. The only thing that was recognisable was the sky, which was a gloomy grey.

"This is London," Remus said. "It's on the outskirts, though. I had to pick somewhere no one would see us."

"Why didn't we just apparate?" Sirius asked, rubbing his back.

"I've already told you. The Ministry is tracking long-distance apparition. This is just safer."

"Well, I'm never using a portkey again. I don't care what you say."

Remus shook his head. "Alright you two, hold my hands. We're going to Diagon Alley."

The two gripped one of the wolf's hands each and they turned on the spot, disappearing into nothing. They reappeared at Diagon Alley, which was more magical than ever.

There were shops selling bubbling potions, and custom robes, and armour made of what Harry thought was dragon skin, barrels with filthy beer, books with endless chapters, animals that could talk, bubbles that never popped, ice that never melted. The list was endless. And Harry had just been looking around for a couple seconds.

"Never gets old," Sirius said before walking down the alley. Remus and Harry followed, agreeing wholeheartedly.

They passed a lot of shops that Harry wanted to visit, but he had to admit where they were going was very interesting too.

They stopped at their destination. The white marble building was tall, and a bit wonky. It had aged pillars running down the front in support of the structure and a statue of a dragon stood proudly on top of the roof.

"Let's go mess around with some goblins," Sirius said.

They entered to a polished floor, intricately patterned. To the sides were two long rows of goblins, which were completely busy. They walked right down to the end for the only free accountant available.

"What may I do for you?" the goblin asked, raising its eyes at their expensive clothing.

"We have an appointment," Remus said, looking towards Sirius who was holding up his Ring of Lords.

"Everything seems to be in order," the goblin said, pointing behind him. "If you head down that corridor, it is the room at the very end."

"Thank you," Remus said. They walked past many rooms full of goblins until they reached the end of the corridor, where the room with the largest door was.

Remus knocked.

"Come in," a voice called.

They opened the door to find, unsurprisingly, another goblin, but this one wasn't like the others. This one wore a silky velvet suit and a large gold chain dangled from his neck. He turned away from his messy desk and looked as if he were about to smile, but his face changed back to a stoic impression.

"Lord Black, Heir Black, Mr Lupin, please sit down," the goblin said.

"Mr Ragnok, it would be my pleasure," Harry replied. They took their seats, not so fondly remembering the last time they were here. It was very late and Harry was very injured.

"Did I not say to just call me Ragnok?" the goblin asked.

"And did I not say to just call me Harry?" the boy replied. "Because until you do that, you'll always be Mr Ragnok to me."

"And me," Sirius added. Remus just looked disappointed.

"Very well, Harry, Sirius, Remus, I do believe you remember the last time we were together in this office."

The three nodded.

"It was late, exactly five years ago today," Remus recounted. "There had been a bad series of events at Potter Manor, and we needed to go into hiding. But we wanted to sort out some legal stuff and heal Harry very quickly at the same time. That was pretty impossible. But then we decided to come to Gringotts because we know they are not connected with the Ministry."

"That is true," Ragnok said.

"So we came here and we found you. We were thankful when you healed Harry and then got him his ring. And then you told us to come back, on this very day for something very important. So… we're here now."

Ragnok gave a round of applause. "Very good, Remus. You're memory and storytelling are of the highest quality. I am impressed."

Remus blushed a little and said, "But why are we here?"

"Good question. I think we should find out. Just an hour ago, Lord Potter and Heiress Potter came to visit me."

"They did?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, and they came with a very interesting desire." Ragnok stopped to fiddle with his chain.

"Which was?" Sirius blurted out impatiently.

"I'm getting there," Ragnok replied.

"Yeah, he's getting there," Harry said, punching Sirius on the arm. He eyed the boy back menacingly.

Ragnok continued. "As you know, the Potters are the only remaining descendants of the Peverells, and the Peverells are very closely related to the Gryffindors."

All three nodded again.

"Well, Lord Potter knew of this information, as he was once taken to attempt the Trial of the Founders as soon as he turned the age of 11."

"What's the Trial of the Founders?" Harry asked.

"It's where a descendant of the four Founders of Hogwarts is assessed on whether they are worthy to become the heir of one of the lines."

"Well, I'm in then," Harry said, looking a little shocked.

"How have I not heard about this before?" Remus asked.

Ragnok just chuckled. "As you know, Gringotts is a private organisation so we get full control of everything that occurs within our walls. That means if we want to keep something from the view of the public, we shall do just that."

"Wait, let's not get excited here," Sirius said warningly.

"Oh, don't be a spoilsport," Harry moaned.

"No, I just want to know something." He turned to Ragnok and asked, "How many people have attempted this trial?"

"Off the top of my head, roughly 100."

"And how many accepted?"

"None."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but closed it straight after. That was a fair point.

Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Look pup, I'm not saying you don't have a chance. It's just that I don't want to see you upset, that's all."

"But it's not going to stop me trying," Harry replied, a determined look on his face.

"That's the spirit."

"If the trial is going to be attempted today, I will need a drop of Harry's blood," Ragnok said.

"Of course," Harry said, stretching out his arm.

Ragnok waved his hand, causing a form to appear in front of him. He quickly pricked Harry's thumb and collected the blood on the parchment. The name 'Harry Sirius Potter' appeared on the form.

Ragnok handed the form to Sirius. "The regulations are on that paper. If you are happy, sign at the bottom."

Sirius skimmed through it and scribbled his name on the parchment. "There you go," he said, handing the form back to the goblin, who nodded.

Ragnok stood up and said, "Follow me." He walked off out of the room, the three right behind him.

"Where are we going?" Sirius asked.

"Well the trial isn't going to take place in my office, is it?" Ragnok said.

He led them back to the entrance hall where they took a different corridor that seemed a little more obscure. The walls and floor were made of cold stone, and the only lighting was from torches.

"Are you taking us to a dungeon?" Sirius asked.

"Don't be ridiculous. The trial has been described to me as dark and cold, but it is far too grand to be a dungeon."

Harry didn't know what to think at the moment. He could become the heir of one of the four most prestigious houses in English history. On one hand, the glory of it all was desirable, but on the other, it was also a bit scary. He would just have to wait and see what happens.

They kept on walking for about 5 minutes until they reached a wooden door with no handle.

"It's your turn now." Ragnok said. "I just pray you aren't as obnoxious as that twin of yours. She came out in tears."

"Thanks for the reassurance," Harry replied sarcastically.

"Just go in and if it doesn't work out, don't worry about it," Remus said.

"You got this pup," Sirius said smiling.

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm going in." He turned around and pushed the door, stepping inside.

It was pitch black. The creak of the door as it closed echoed around the room. There were no people, no torches, no sound. It put Harry on edge.

He tentatively took a step forward. Nothing. He took another. Still nothing. He took another step. And then a voice spoke.

"Harry Sirius Potter," it said. It was a man, with a croaky, almost slimy voice. "We were just awoken by your sister, and she disappointed us just like the rest. Tell me, what makes you different from her."

Harry was just about to reply but was beaten to it.

"Oh but can't you see, Salazar," a woman's voice said, sounding stern and sure. "The boy isn't blinded by the lies of others. He may not have the sharpest memory, but there is a calculation hidden in his brain, a formula so very unique, so very special. He is certainly different from Miss Potter."

"Correct you are, Rowena, as always," another woman's voice said, this one slightly higher pitched. "I like this boy's heart. It lies in the right places, his thoughts never waver into the path of wrong. Maybe a little mischief here and there, but devotion to the people he loves will always be present."

"I am very pleased," another man said. This voice was deep and grand. "I believe this young man will grow to be a hero. He has every quality already within him; the heart, the soul, the courage, the wisdom, the power, the skill… I could go on for days. He is a Gryffindor I tell you, my blood runs strongly within his."

The slimy voice spoke again. "Hmm… Now that I truly look at this boy, I have to agree with your assessments. The boy is different. He has a troubled childhood, paired with incredible experiences. He is smart, but he uses his knowledge in the most cunning of ways. And his tongue, it may not be of his own doing, but he has the tongue of a snake. The boy is just as much a Slytherin as he is a Gryffindor. Yes, yes, if you all agree with me, I think this boy is the one true Heir we have been looking for."

"Yes," the stern woman said. "The one we said would change the future."

"The one to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders," the deep voice added.

"Shall we call him from his slumber?" the other, high-pitched woman asked.

Harry thought it was time to get his voice in before he found himself even more lost in everything that was going on. "Erm, sorry to interrupt, but who are you calling?"

Silence.

Harry then realized how young and naïve he sounded. Nevertheless, he was answered by Salazar Slytherin.

"Mr Potter, I guess I should give you a backstory. We did skip formalities, after all. You see, us four, we are projections of the Founders of Hogwarts. Our thoughts and minds are the same as theirs, though we are simply dormant consciences, awoken only by this trial.

We have been specifically enchanted by the Founders, allowing us to see into the minds of others and always know the situations of the world. Every occurrence in every second of every day does not slip our minds as we sleep. So we use this information to pick out what the world is in need of. If an incredibly talented young witch or wizard takes part in the trial, but the world is simply not in need of a hero, we send them away. That is just part of our purpose.

You see Mr Potter, what this trial is, it does not work for the benefit of you or anyone else that enters this room. We are servants of the world, so we chose only if we have to. Now, we find ourselves in this position, so we have chosen you."

Harry stared into the darkness, not at all sure of how to process that large amount of information. What the Founders had told him, the pressure they had put on him… It made Harry feel scared.

"Do not worry, young one," Rowena said. "You have so much time to grow, but there is just one more conscience you need to meet before we can proceed."

Harry took a deep breath. What did that mean?

His question was answered when a booming voice, deeper than Godric's, announced itself. "So, I have finally been called upon. This is the first time, it seems, the world is in need of a hero with the blessing of Merlin."

Harry's eyes widened. Was this Merlin?

"Harry Sirius Potter, descendant of the line of Gryffindor, great things are to come for you. The Founders have done an excellent job of explaining the situation, so let me elaborate on what's to come.

I am going to give you gifts, power a normal person wouldn't have. You will have to work, but in time you will grow to become a great wizard, one the wizarding world will be able to look to with admiration. The future is dark if you do not do what is needed, young man. Just remember that we are with you every step of the way."

The room fell back into silence. Harry gulped. He had just been spoken to by Merlin himself, the greatest wizard in all of history. And now, as the quiet lingered, he didn't know what to do.

While he was pondering, he suddenly felt a wave of energy flow throughout him. His senses flared as his blood rushed through his body.

Harry put a hand to his head, wondering what was going on. Then, he felt his head become lighter and promptly dropped to the floor, unconscious.

The trial was over.

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	4. A Helping Hand

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 **A Helping Hand**

Harry awoke, his head throbbing viciously. He rubbed his eyes but stopped when he realised his glasses were no longer covering them.

That was strange. He tried to regain his focus, but all he could see was darkness. Then everything came rushing back to him. The portkey to Diagon Alley and the events of Gringotts were now fresh in his mind. Damn. He just about remembered fainting as well.

He pushed himself off the cold floor and onto his feet. His legs wobbled slightly, feeling foreign to his body. He must have been out for a while, maybe an hour or two. Sirius and Remus were most assuredly worried.

After about a minute, Harry finally found the door he had come in from, having blindly wandered off in several other directions in the darkness. He opened it, glad to see a goblin holding a torch on the other side. The ability to see again was also brilliant.

"My Heir, I am glad to see you have finally made it out of the trial," the goblin snarled. It didn't look very pleased at all.

"Erm, how long have I been in here?" Harry asked, slightly taken aback by the goblin's venomous attitude.

"I have been standing outside this door for five days now, waiting for your arrival." The goblin was now looking Harry up and down, wondering whether he was worth the wait.

Harry was more than a little shocked. Five days? What had Merlin done to him?

"Where are Sirius and Remus?" he asked, trying to act casually.

"I do not know, I have been down here for five days, as I have already told you."

The goblin really did not look thrilled. Harry decided it would be best not to engage in any more conversation than necessary so it didn't try to throttle him.

"Can you please take me to Ragnok?" Harry asked politely.

"As you wish, my Heir." The goblin started walking down the dark corridor, muttering something about 'idiot stickmen' along the way.

Harry meanwhile, was observing his newly acquired crystal clear vision. Merlin did mention new power, and this was obviously part of it, but other than his eyesight all Harry could feel was a burning sensation running through his body. It wasn't unpleasant, and barely noticeable if he decided not to focus on it, but it was definitely there.

He decided to examine his body, pressing a hand against his bicep. Well, he definitely hadn't transformed into Hulk Hogan during his sleep, though he did feel larger. Not so much that it was noticeable, however.

He remembered Rowena and Merlin saying he had time to grow; to become the hero the world would need. Harry still did not know what that meant. Maybe there would be a new Dark Lord and he would have to defeat it? That was the only feasible reason he could think the world would need a saviour for. But then again, any old powerful wizard, like Dumbledore, could do that in his place. He was sure the Chief Warlock wouldn't let another situation similar to Voldemort arise again.

But maybe it was Voldemort the Founders had warned him of. There were rumours, whispers, or maybe just fear that Voldemort had not died the night that Rose received her scar. He had to be open to all possibilities, seeing as he was currently just making stabs in the dark. Harry would have to use his brain, which wasn't exactly loaded with useful information on fighting Dark wizards. That meant he would have to study. And train. Hard.

Padfoot was gonna hate this newfound determination that Harry was feeling.

The goblin and Harry arrived back at Ragnok's office. It looked at him with a disgusted sneer, but bid farewell politely, if so unwillingly.

Harry knocked on the door, pleased to find it quickly opened. It was Sirius on the other side, his face transforming from a look of shock to happiness.

"You're back!" he exclaimed, wrapping Harry in a tight hug. "You've got no idea how worried I was about you."

Remus was just behind Sirius, pulling Harry into a second hug. "I'm so glad you made it out. We were starting to think you had died in there or something."

Harry just smiled; he wasn't used to being embraced so warmly by his surrogate parents. To be honest, over the past 5 years they had lived like brothers more than anything. It was a nice change.

"What was the trial like?" Sirius asked.

"It was actually rather fast. All I did was enter the room and they decided I was worthy."

Remus was surprised. "That was it? Why were you in there for so long then?"

Harry laughed a little sheepishly. "Actually, I was told I'd get special powers and then I was knocked out. I've literally just been lying on the floor, sleeping."

"Wait, special powers?"

"Did the Founders mention anything about Merlin?"

"Do you realise how much power you have now?"

Harry sighed and sat down at Ragnok's desk, who was also looking at him curiously. He ushered Sirius and Remus to take a seat too.

"Alright, I'm going to tell you everything I can remember…"

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Hermione Granger had been really enjoying her time as a witch. Not only had she learned that there was another world out there she didn't even know about, but she had been told she was a part of it. It had made her feel important and special.

Yesterday, she had visited Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall, who would be her Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was a strict woman, but Hermione had felt safe with her which was the most important thing. Seeing the magical world had been strange and wonderful at the same time. It was like everything around her was proof that the whole thing wasn't some practical joke. She felt like it was a second chance, a chance for her to fit in and make friends for once.

She had really wanted to visit the bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, but her parents had only given her enough to get her wand and Hogwarts equipment. When she came home, all she did was beg and beg to return to go to the bookshop. It would be so interesting learning about magical cultures, and Hermione was sure she'd want everything they had, as she had exhausted herself of normal books.

Finally, when Hermione had decided she wouldn't even let her parents sleep if they didn't take her, the Grangers gave in, promising to go the next day.

However, when they did get there, all Mr and Mrs Granger seemed to want to do was look at every other shop before the bookshop. Hermione did have to admit it was all pretty interesting, but to have to wait so long was like torture. It took only 10 minutes for Hermione to decide she would go off on her own in a world she knew practically nothing about.

She had managed to steal about 5 galleons from her father's pocket without him noticing, as he was immersed in Doctor Dazzle's Professional Teeth Whitening Kit in which all one had to do was place a pill on their tongue that would turn into an interactive mini-dentist and scrub every tooth a 'dazzling white' before turning back into a flavoured sweet. Hermione shook her head at how ridiculous that sounded.

She navigated her way through the crowd of shoppers and made it to Flourish and Blotts. She entered and took a deep breath, revelling in the familiar scent of fresh book paper. Excitedly, she hurried off into to the maze of bookshelves, unable to take the grin off her face.

Thankfully, she found that most books were around 10 sickles, meaning she could get more than a few. She decided that History of Magic was the subject she was most interested in, seeing that she couldn't perform any spells yet. And the books that were mandatory for Hogwarts seemed to have a large enough variety of the other topics for now.

She picked out a pile of as many as she could carry and approached the till. She could hear the accountant being yelled at by a girl, who sounded quite young. All she could hear was 'this is ridiculous' and 'you should be a lot sorrier'. It sounded like the girl was very stuck up and rude. Not the type she wanted to be around.

She turned the corner and caught sight of the girl, who had a very boyish face and almost crimson hair. She had a friend, also a ginger, though his hair was closer to orange and his face was covered in freckles.

Hermione neared the dramatics until she was right behind them. At this point the rude girl decided to give up her shrieking and turned around, bumping straight into Hermione who tumbled over, her books spilling everywhere.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. "Ron, help her up."

The freckled boy offered his hand, but just as Hermione was about to take it he pulled away.

"I don't wanna get covered in bookworm slime," he told the girl. They both stared at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.

They began to walk away, still giggling. Hermione felt tears fall down her face as she realised what had just happened. She had been rejected. People in the wizarding world were just the same as normal people. She would never find friends here.

Hermione was so distraught, she didn't notice someone enter and walk up to her. He collected all her books from the floor and offered her his hand. She looked up to see who was being so kind. It was a boy, with messy black hair and shining green eyes. He was smiling at her warmly, his hand still stretched out for her to grab onto. She pulled herself up, quickly wiping the tears from her face.

"I'm Harry," he began. "I saw you on the floor and it looked like you needed some help."

Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of the boy. He was being so kind, a polar opposite to the ginger pair that had made her so upset. She realised she had been staring a second too long when Harry spoke again.

"So, do you have a name?" he asked, that smile not wanting to drop.

Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm Hermione," she said. "Granger," she added.

"Potter," the boy replied. "So, I see you have a lot of books about magical history. Are you a muggleborn?"

Hermione nodded. She hoped Harry would still want to talk to her.

"That's cool," he said. "I can tell you what I know about magic if you want," he offered.

Hermione smiled excitedly. "I'd love that."

They left the shop after having bought all of Hermione's books, which were now in a feather-light bag, and walked in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron where Hermione's parents would be.

Hermione talked a little about her muggle upbringing and her parents being dentists, but she was much more interested in Harry's life. He had left his parents when he was 6 years old, for reasons he wouldn't mention, to live with two men called Moony and Padfoot. Apparently, they had gone travelling around the world for the last 5 years but had finally come back on Gringotts business. The girl that had bumped into her had been Harry's twin sister, Rose, but he said they didn't get on at all.

Harry told her a lot, but Hermione was still curious about some things.

"Harry, what's that ring on your finger?"

"Oh this, it's a Ring of Heirs. It's just something the Heirs of an Ancient and Noble House wear."

"Wow, a Noble House. You must be pretty important then, and pretty rich."

Harry smirked inwardly at how correct she was. "Every ring has the House emblem on the orb. I'm the Heir of House Black."

"Black," Hermione muttered. She looked at the skull with the crow on its head. "It doesn't look very nice."

"For a long time it wasn't very nice. But Padfoot is the Lord now, so it's no longer a family you have to be afraid of."

"What about your real family?"

"My father's the Lord of House Potter, another Ancient and Noble House, and my sister's the Heir." Harry grimaced when he said this, which Hermione picked up on.

The two walked for a little longer, talking about the different magical cultures Harry had seen. It had all been very interesting for Hermione and she really liked talking with Harry, so when she did spot her parents, who were looking very worried due to her absence, she didn't want to go.

"It looks like your parents are looking for someone," Harry smiled. "It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy Hogwarts."

"Are you not coming?" she asked, suddenly scared of losing her first friend.

"I will, just not straight away."

Harry was just about to turn away when Hermione blurted out, "Please write to me!"

He looked at her face, so desperate and concerned. He thought it was cute how much he already meant to her. It was then that Harry decided it would be nice to have a pen pal until he went to Hogwarts.

"I'll write to you," he confirmed, causing Hermione to gleam and attack him with a hug.

It wasn't too long before she pulled away. "Thank you," she said smiling radiantly. After one final look, she turned around and ran to her parents, a bag full of books in her hand.

Harry was rather pleased. He was in London, he was the Heir of Emrys, he was very rich, he had met a girl, and the girl had liked him. And the day wasn't even over.

He made his way to Ollivander's, where it was agreed he would meet up with Padfoot and Moony. They said they wanted to get him a birthday gift, which Harry thought was very sweet of them.

The shop was just a door accompanied by a pair of cylindrical windows concealed in curtains, with a strip of wood running through the middle. However, the wood had been elegantly carved with the writing:

'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC.'

He opened the door and stepped in, getting attacked by an army of dust in the process. Coughing, he stepped forward into the open, where the air was cleaner. Padfoot and Moony weren't there, so he was early. The two did let him have a bag full of galleons, so Harry decided there was no point in waiting.

He walked to the till and rang the bell. It took only a couple of seconds for a reply.

"Wow, simply incredible… I must admit, I was not expecting you, Mr Potter, to be visiting my shop any time soon."

A man stepped out from the shadows, his aged face matching his aged voice. There was also a mysterious, almost creepy look in his eyes.

"Hello," Harry said boldly, not wanting to show how uncomfortable he felt. "I'm here for a wand."

"Of course you are, Harry Potter, for why else would The Missing Boy visit my shop."

The man walked forwards, looking as if he was analysing Harry, like an artefact in a museum.

"The Missing Boy?" Harry asked, not knowing what that meant.

"Of course. The famous Potter twins. The Girl Who Lived and The Missing Boy. To say I was disappointed by your sister would be an understatement, and that is rather unfortunate. However, it looks like there is a second chance with you. Now, wait here one moment. I shall find you a wand."

And Mr Ollivander did find Harry a wand. Many in fact. But every single one had felt cold in Harry's hand and done destructive things to Ollivander's livelihood. Though he would not accept money or an apology, constantly repeating the fact that he had never failed to pair a wizard with a wand.

Then Ollivander gave Harry a strange look, with some sort of finality behind it, before rushing into the back once more. He returned with a case, dustier than all the others, and opened it.

"Holly, 11 inches long, with a phoenix feather core," the old man practically whispered.

He handed it to Harry, whose hair shot upwards immediately and an array of coloured sparks flew out of the wand. A warmth seemed to envelop the whole room, confirming to Harry that this was definitely the right one.

"Curious, very curious…" the wandmaker seemed to mutter.

"Sorry, but what's curious?" Harry asked.

"That wand has a brother of the same core, and it just so happens that the brother was the one to mark your sister's cheek."

It took a couple of seconds for Harry to clock what Ollivander had told him. His wand had a brother, and that wand had belonged to Voldemort.

Not sure what to think of the situation, he placed the galleons on the till and left. Ollivander had implied that he might become just as powerful as the Dark Lord, or just as evil. Either way, he had been trusted with a great responsibility and didn't feel like betraying it any time soon.

Outside of the shop, he waited a couple of minutes for Padfoot and Moony, who were taking an incredibly long time. It was whilst he was being stared at by passers-by for his extravagant clothing that he decided he was too uncomfortable to stand around and do nothing any longer.

He started to walk back towards the Leaky Cauldron, really wanting to know what the other two would think about his wand. However, only half a minute in, Harry could see a man running down towards him, yelling something and causing quite a commotion. The man got close enough so Harry could hear what he was saying, then ran straight past him.

"Sirius Black and Remus Lupin!" was what had been coming out of his mouth.

Immediately, Harry felt panicked. Padfoot and Moony had been caught out, a major reason why they had avoided England for so long. However, they hadn't done much to conceal themselves. They had stayed away from any sort of glamour and worn good clothing only out of Ragnok's request. It would have been smart of them to disguise themselves after leaving Gringotts, but they had been a bunch of blundering idiots and decided they would be safe.

Harry started to run in the direction of the chaos, as many others were doing. People were looking to watch the action, but Harry was planning on getting involved.

When he could just about see Padfoot and Moony, he slowed down. There was no point rushing in just to get caught himself. The two were still duelling the Aurors, though it looked like they were going to fall after every spell.

He could see his father as well, which caused Harry to flinch out of reflex. It looked like he was leading the Aurors, and seemed to be enjoying taking down his former best friends. It was disgusting to Harry's eyes, though the public didn't seem to think so.

He could see his sister cheering the Aurors on, which caused Harry's dislike towards her to increase alarmingly.

He started to run towards the fight, pushing people out of the way and trampling on a few that swore at him. The rage inside him had completely overtaken any logic he had been using. He clutched his wand, drawing it from his pocket. Harry didn't know any spells, but the raw magic flowing through him felt like it would destroy anything in his path.

He was so close now. He could see his father, with all of that disgust on his face that made Harry want to tear him to shreds. Padfoot and Moony were somehow still going, though their bodies were about to give up on them. He would have to do something. He would do anything for those two; the ones who had risked it all for him and still wouldn't back down.

However, just as he was about to raise his wand and bellow as loud as he possibly could, a hand pressed against his chest, stopping him in his tracks. He looked up sharply, surprised that someone would think it wise to prevent him from wreaking havoc. He was just about to yell at the person's face, but the eyes he saw prevented him from doing so.

It was his mother, her emerald eyes perfectly mirroring his own. She smiled at him warmly, causing his heart to skip. It had been so long since he had seen that smile; it was always so precious.

She pressed something against his chest. It was large, but Harry paid no attention to it, instead focusing on controlling his emotions.

She leaned down and pressed her lips against his forehead. "I love you," she whispered. "Stay strong."

Harry just about caught a tear slide down her cheek before he found himself flying away, the crowded shopping alley disappearing beneath him.

He had an urge to simply not care as the portkey carried him away, but his mum had told him to stay strong. Effortlessly, he rode the winds as if he were on a broom until they started to die down.

His thoughts were swirling as he floated to the floor. He had just seen his mother, but lost Padfoot and Moony in the process. The Aurors would have captured them by now and soon they would probably be put in Azkaban.

He picked up the portkey, which was a cage holding a beautiful snowy owl. At least his mum had given him some company.

He looked around, trying to figure out where he had landed. It was a busy street. Definitely muggle. Next to him was a Wendy's, so he narrowed it down to America. He noticed a lot of yellow vehicles, all with the initials NY printed on them. New York. The city by the looks of it.

Harry sighed. His day had been so eventful that it was hard to think straight. His main priority, however, was to find a roof to stay under in a city that wasn't the most forgiving.

This was a challenge Harry hadn't been prepared for.

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	5. The Woman

**Wow. So I manage to confuse a lot of people with that last one. Yes, it differs a lot from the original plot, so what I've decided is to take that down and do this one as a whole new story. Don't worry though, nothing in the story description will change.**

 **And please do be patient. I know I'm moving a little fast and some of the things may not seem like they make sense, but it will all come together.**

 **Sorry about the time skips. This will be the last one, I promise.**

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 **The Woman**

Harry was having a good day today. He had sold around 20 hot dogs, and the sun wasn't going to set for another 5 hours. At this rate, he might be able to afford a bigger van. He'd have to ask The Woman though; she didn't like spending loads of money.

Dusk soon found itself falling, and Harry found himself with a reasonable amount of money. He started to drive home, glad he didn't need extendable pedals anymore. Training his body had done him a world of good, and he found himself just about taller than the average 14 year old. Not that he looked 14 though. His shoulder-length hair and broad shoulders may have made him look closer to 16, and if he decided to grow out any facial hair, maybe 20.

The Woman liked to tease him about it, saying that he was far too sexy for a 14 year old. He liked to agree with her. She was a strange character, The Woman, or Jodie. He should really start calling her by her name now. They had lived with each other for 3 years, but Harry had only learnt her name yesterday. It didn't really matter to him, though it was nice to know she trusted him. She was a fugitive, after all.

He remembered when they first met, a week after Harry had been dropped on the streets of New York. If felt like a life time ago; he had changed so much since then. He had only eaten by stealing and rummaging through bins. When he first had to do something so nauseating he had felt really dirty, but soon after he found himself understanding it was necessary to survive. He would survive; never would he let his mother down.

He had just started to get some sort of routine figured out for living on the streets of New York when The Woman had apparated right on top of him. She apologised and looked ready to get off on her way, but then looked back at him curiously. There was a young boy sleeping on a bunch of bins, for which she would usually leave some money and go. But that wasn't what had caused her to turn around. He was wearing an extremely expensive-looking set of robes. And why could she sense a strong magical aura coming from the child? And not only that, but something dark as well?

"You, boy," she said sharply, in an accent belonging of New York. "What's your name?"

Harry looked up, somewhat confused. "Harry," he said.

"Harry who?"

"Potter. My name is Harry Potter."

Her eyes dawned with realisation. She recognised that name. For who hadn't heard of Rose Potter, the infamous little girl that had managed to defeat that British Dark Lord everyone had been so frightened by. Harry, she remembered, was her twin brother. So what was a boy with a lot of wealth and power doing living on bin bags? Something must have happened whilst she was out of the loop.

And that's when she decided that she would take the boy for coffee. He was certainly interesting enough, and it was obvious he needed help. They both needed help. Maybe they could work together on it.

That's what The Woman had told Harry she had been thinking at the time. He was glad she did, otherwise he likely would still be on the streets.

After that, Harry had explained to her a lot about himself, but she didn't seem to want to return the favour. Harry didn't really care, however. He was just glad to have someone that actually seemed to care about him again. She decided to take him in, having sympathised quite a lot with him, and since then they had lived well.

And now, three years on, Harry still didn't know a lot about her. He knew that her name was Jodie, and that she was on the run from the American Ministry, but that was it. He trusted her though. After living with someone for that long, there was always going to be some sort of relationship built.

He drove until he reached a quiet street in the suburbs, where he pulled up at the curb. He walked into a house which for others would have been invisible. The Woman had set up a Fidelius Charm, which had impressed Harry a lot. An average witch would have found that task impossible.

He was almost at the study, where he would give The Woman the money and she would teach him magic. Harry had been trained by The Woman ever since she had taken him in to become as powerful as possible. He wasn't going to betray the Founders' trust and slack off on his studies. That would be immature. He was yet to discover the power he had been gifted, however. His patience with himself was starting to wear thin.

He was just about to open the door of the study, but paused when he heard a voice; it wasn't The Woman's.

"I understand you may feel threatened, Jodie, but I only come with good intentions. I feel I have made a grave mistake, and due to it we lost Harry for 8 years. And now his magic is at stake, so I had no other choice but to seek him out and bring him home."

That was Dumbledore. So they had finally found him.

"I don't care Dumbledore! You left Harry for nothing, to die, and now you expect me to just hand him back? It's disgusting! I know what his father did to him, I won't let that happen again!"

Harry smiled. Jodie really did see him as her own.

"Please Jodie. I know I have made many mistakes, which someone as wise as me really should not have. He will not be put under the care of James, I can assure you that."

"He'll be with me."

Harry took a deep breath. It was his mum.

"I won't let anything happen to my baby boy again. When James told me he had found Sirius and Remus, my heart stopped. I knew Harry would be there, and I was so desperate to be with him again, but I knew I couldn't let James get a hold of him. So I made that portkey as fast as I could, though I didn't have time to set a specific location. This continent was as far as I got.

But then I saw him, and all I wanted to do was drop that cage and hug him. I didn't though. I was quick enough to save him. Sirius and Remus however, I couldn't do anything about those two. They're locked up in Azkaban for kidnapping when all they did was raise was my baby boy when it should have been me. The guilt I've lived with is unbearable.

I tried to raise Rose, but she's too much like her father. I've failed at raising both my children. This is my last chance. You have to understand how much this means to me. You have to let me bring him home."

Lily was crying, and so was Harry. He burst open the door, unable to listen any longer.

"Mum," he said, his voice cracking.

Lily looked up, quickly wiping away her tears. "Harry." She jumped out of her seat and pulled him into a hug. "I'm back," she said. "And I'm here to take you home."

"I missed you," Harry said, crying into her shoulder.

"I missed you too, honey. I'm here for you now. Oh, look at how big you've grown," Lily said.

Harry smiled sheepishly. He was taller than her now, which felt weird. It felt like she had gotten smaller opposed to him getting bigger. He guessed that's what happens when you haven't see someone for a long time.

He wiped the tears from his eyes, then looked at Dumbledore. "My magic is at stake?" he asked.

The old wizard nodded in confirmation. "Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to prevent this. If your name is dispersed from the Triwizard Cup, you are automatically binded by a magical contract."

"Sit down, Harry," Lily said. "We can talk about this."

"So you're going then?" Jodie asked, but it seemed like more of a statement. She looked rather shaken up after her spell of screaming at Dumbledore.

"Yes," Harry said, taking a seat by his mother. "But I want you to come with me."

Jodie looked surprised at this. "You want me to come with you?"

"Why not? We've been together for so long, I don't want to go without you."

Harry's words had been spoken with the utmost honesty, and Jodie's face brightened at the sound of them.

"I'd love to come with you," she said, smiling radiantly. She turned to Dumbledore, her gleam dirtying a little. "But I don't know if it's a good idea."

Dumbledore gave in to a small smile. "We are aware of your situation, so taking you into our country for refuge would be a great risk. However, as long as you remain hidden, I can make sure your Ministry does not locate you."

"You know what I did?" Jodie asked.

Dumbledore nodded. Nothing more was said on the matter.

"The Triwizard Cup?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed. "The Triwizard Tournament is a competition held between Durmstrang Institute, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each school is allowed one champion, selected by the Triwizard Cup itself. However, yesterday, when the names were being announced, a fourth name came out."

"And that would be mine."

"Yes. I worked all night trying to track you, and with Lily's help as well as some contacts I have here I finally found you. I ran into Jodie first, however."

It all made sense now. The Founders had said Harry's time would come. He guessed this was it. This was what he was training for. The Triwizard Tournament had to be more than it seemed.

"What about Padfoot and Moony?" Harry asked.

"I can try to get a trial together, but you would be sentencing your father to Azkaban. He has too many connections for that to be a wise move."

"What about if I said I went at my own will? What if Mum says she let me go?"

Dumbledore sighed. "That would mean James would go after Lily."

"He wants to go after me anyway," Lily objected. "He doesn't like the fact I left him and Rose. Helping free Sirius and Remus wouldn't change much."

"I'll see what I can do," Dumbledore conceded. A small, thoughtful silence followed.

"Well hurry up and pack then," Lily told Harry, breaking the quiet. "I want to hear about everything that you've done once we get home."

Harry left the comfort of his mother's side and walked to his room, his mind a whirl. He was finally going home. To Britain. To the mess that was his family. To Hermione.

He sighed, opening his door and staring at Hedwig, his snowy owl. Hermione was the only friend he had. He had disconnected with Neville back when he was with Padfoot and Moony. Writing to Hermione was the only option he had left, but he was glad it was her. She had helped him so much with her letters, with getting through everything, and now he was quite attached to her.

He was sure that Hermione had already sent a letter after hearing about the Triwizard tournament. The owl was probably already at the post office right now; it would never breach the Fidelius.

He started packing all his stuff into a rucksack. Even though he was going to see her soon, Harry still wanted to read Hermione's letter. The sight of her handwriting made him happy. She was just so thoughtful and considerate and…lovely. He shook his head. He had to settle into a new home and focus on getting ready for Hogwarts.

He left his room, rucksack on his back and Hedwig's cage in his arms. Lily beamed at the sight of him and Jodie was already packed. Dumbledore's eyes started twinkling. "Hold on tight," he said.

They popped into nothing, Harry holding onto Lily's hand as he was being suctioned through space. He never liked apparition. It made him feel like a fly sucked up a vacuum.

They popped back into existence, into a nice living room full of muggle appliances. There was a dark leather coach with a coffee table, which held a mug filled with remnants of a coffee and a radio. A shelf on the wall besides held two pictures: one of Rose and Harry as infants, and one of Lily and James, at the time a young, very-in-love couple.

"It's Godric's Hollow," Lily said. "I just redecorated."

"I like it," Harry said, walking over to the radio to fiddle with it. "The music's definitely better."

"You're right," Lily agreed. "What about TV? We can watch that together."

Harry shook his head. "It's all too cheesy. I prefer the movies."

"We'll do that then, when the next holiday comes," Lily said, smiling. It was nice to finally be together.

"I guess I'll leave for Hogwarts tomorrow," Harry told Dumbledore.

"Jodie, you can have the spare room down here," Lily said. "The one right of the kitchen."

Jodie smiled warmly. "Thanks a lot. I needed a place to bunk." She left the room to unpack.

"I think I'll leave you all for now," Dumbledore announced. "Harry is home and I have to sort out a trial for Sirius and Remus. I feel I'm going to be at the Ministry for a very long time." He looked at everyone for a little longer with those twinkling eyes of his before apparating away.

"Oh honey, we have to try to cram in as much training as we can for the tournament before we go to Hogwarts," Lily said.

"Wait, you're coming?"

"Yes, I'm one of the Potions Professors, along with Severus."

"Ha-ha, Snivellus," Harry laughed.

Lily scowled. "That's Professor Snape to you."

"Yeah whatever. I don't think I need to train, though. Jodie helped me become pretty good with my wand."

"That's good then, but what about the other aspects of magic? You know, the ones that you don't require the use of a Reducto for."

"I read books," Harry answered half-heartedly.

"Come on, I'll take you to the potions lab. Leave your stuff here."

"I'd much rather catch up on everything that we've missed together."

"Well we can do that while you brew the Forgetfulness Potion…"

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